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Rep. Keating: Americans in Sochi should be safe, cautious

Immediately upon returning from a trip to Sochi in advance of the Winter Olympics, Rep. William R. Keating, D-Mass., told reporters Wednesday night that the Russian security effort is impressive and that Americans should be safe.

Immediately upon returning from a trip to Sochi in advance of the Winter Olympics, Rep. William Keating, D-Mass., told reporters Wednesday night that the Russian security effort is impressive and that Americans should be safe. But he advised anyone traveling to the Games to be cautious and pay attention to updates from the State Department.

Of particular concern, Keating said, are the areas outside the Olympic zone.

"These terrorists can move it out from areas that are less secure, and make a statement there," Keating said, according to The Boston Globe.

A series of suicide bombings in the region, likely set off by Chechen rebels who have previously threatened the Games, have raised concerns about security at the Olympics. Reports surfaced this week that Russia was looking for three potential "Black Widow" suicide bombers, including one who may have slipped into Sochi before heavy security measures were put in place in January.

"Russia is not great at sharing information with the United States," Keating said. "We're willing to do everything we can ... but it's their country. When you do it with the U.S. and Russia there's room for improvement."

U.S. Olympic hockey team members Zach Parise and Ryan Suter have advised family members not to attend the Sochi Games following the recent spate of threats, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

"I'm actually really concerned about it," Parise wrote in an e-mail to the newspaper. "I know they say they have evacuation stuff for us and all, but you just never know. I guess you have to wonder at what point does someone say it isn't a good idea for us to go."

A Quinnipiac poll released Wednesday found that 38 percent of Americans think it is "somewhat likely" a terrorist attack will disrupt the Olympics while 12 percent think it's "very likely." The poll surveyed 1,933 registered voters.

Former CIA operative and CNN national security analyst Bob Baer said on the network Wednesday that the Islamic terrorist group operating out of the nearby Caucasus region is "more determined" than al Qaeda

"They've got a bottomless pool of willing suicide bombers. They can get to missiles. They can blow up infrastructure. They are very, very good," said Baer. "People like the Chechens in particular worry me more than anybody in the world."